The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-10-06
THE NEW COMMANDER.

John P. Rea was born Oct 13. 1910. in Lower
Oxford township. Chester county, Pa His
father owned w0olen factory. and he passed
his time there and attending school until Sep
where he taught school When the war broke
out he promptly enlisted and became member
served with this regiment four months and was
then commissioned as second lieutenant Of
COMPANY !. First Ohio cavalrv: promoted to
the following year to the rank of captain. and
was breveted major. He served in the regiment
three ye rs and four n. .onths. and was absent
but ten days, seven as prisoner and three days
on sick leave. After returning from the war he
entered tue Wesleyan college. at Delaware. Ohio.
and ngs ss Il puns the tSs Sss1 S.on
1866 he entered The Office, of Hon.
o. J. Dickey Of Lancaster. Pa. as law student.
aS TO hs bar seTs
and in March. 1859. was appointed one OF three
notarles public in Lancaster by Gov Geary. but
H. 1seS e.n or o.
district Of Pennsylvania, which Office he held
until it was abolished by law in 1879 In 1869
hs was married 70 Miss ~ Emma o%d OF Uao
law in Lancaster until December. 1879. when he
removed to Minneapolis. His cousin, John A.
R Of was a. T. tnas lime ACTIVELY
in conjunction with A. g. Wilcox. James Hen
dryx and Charles F. Hendryx. Judge Rea and
ject Of this sketch became the editor chief.
In May, 1875, q controlling interest in theTrib-
une. then q morning paper, was purchased by
the PIONEER PRESS and converted into an even
ing paper. Judge Rea, minority stockholder.
continued as editor until MAY. 1877, when he
RESUMED THE PRACTICE OF LAW
and became q member of the firm of Rea, Hooker
& Woolley. This firm was subsequently changed
and became Rea, Woollev & Kltchell. and subse-
quently Rea, Kitchell & Shaw. In November,
1877. he was elected judge OF probate, and
served for four years with conspicuous ability.
He continued his relationship. however, with the
law firm with which he was connected. This
firm had. probably, the largest practice Of any
in the city. In April 1886, Judge Koon re-
signed his seat the bench of the district court
of this district. and in response to the very gen.
eral wish Of the Hennepin county bar Gov. Hub
bard appointed Judge Rea. He now adorns that
position of honor and responsibility. Judge Rea
has always been prominent In the Grand Army
He is q member and past commander OF George
n Morgan post, and his voice is always heard
ON any occasion where the interests Of the old
soldier are involved. He is q forcible public
speaker infusing pathos and power into his
utterances. He fs thorough going Republican,
and has always taken an active interest in poll
tics but his IL not offensive partisanship, and
the necessity of excluding political matters
from the realm of the g. A. r is with him car
dipal principle. He has already held the posi-
tion Of senior vice commander Of the national
organisation. Personally he is one Of the most
genial of men, and he is the last man In the
world to hjure another's feelings in any way.
The result H. he has q host Of friends to rejoice
over his latest and greatest honor and no ene-
mics to lament the event.